This is where academics, chapter nine institutions such as the Public Service Commission and the office of the Public Protector, as well as national and provincial government officials, are set to discuss possible plans to develop the economy of the province and the country at large. 

The research colloquium, led by Finance MEC Gadija Brown, is also set to outline plans of action to curb the increasing number of unemployment in the province and find measures on how to eradicate corruption at all spheres of government. 

Addressing hundreds gathered at the university's Bloemfontein campus, Brown said the colloquium not only aims to spark robust discussions on how the province could enhance its state of education and other departments but determine how the country should, amongst others, deal with land reform issues, as well as how the country could make use of its economic zones and its natural resources to boost the economy.

The conference in Bloemfontein comes at the time when the country is still reeling from a high unemployment rate and low GDP.

The Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2019 showed that the unemployment rate in the country increased by 1.4 percentage points from 27.6% in the first quarter to 29% in the second.

Coupled with this, Brown highlighted that there is a high need to deal with the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality in the country.  She added that one way to accomplish this is to build a government that does not loot state funds and puts the needs of its citizens at the forefront.

Her address at this colloquium comes just a day after she vowed to turn around the appalling state of municipalities in the province.

She on Tuesday, during the National Council of Province's (NCOP) sitting in the Free State Provincial Legislature, painted a bleak picture of the state of municipalities in the Free State and how escalating debts to their service providers hinders service delivery. She revealed that municipalities in the province owe Eskom R9.8 billion, making the Free State a province with the highest Eskom debts and most defaulting municipalities.

Brown has encouraged all those in attendance to join hands in building a capable state that fights against maladministration and corruption and serves its people.

"We are here to build the Free State we want and to generate revenue," said Brown.

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